The Sum of All These
by Mercedes88
Summary: Summary: Clark has chosen Lana once again. But is she really what he wants? Is Lois really out of his life for good?
1. Chapter 1

Rating: K+  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything Smallville, etc.  
Summary: Clark has chosen Lana once again. But is she really what he wants? Is Lois really out of his life for good?

Note: Hey all—I'm not watching the current eps, but I kinda have an idea what's happening. I have no idea how the writers are going to handle what they've done, but this is my version if I were writing it. Then again, if** I** were writing it, Lana would never gotten past the barn door. **Just sayin'**. This is a very short story and I'll probably be posting _Being Mrs_. very, very soon. Let me know what you think!!

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**The Sum of All These**

_Chapter 1_

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They had decided to try again. Despite the past. Regardless of the future.

She had come back for a reason, and found she couldn't leave. He had thought he let her go, until she'd given him a reason to hold on.

Lana Lang stepped into his new world and felt a bit off kilter. The fast pace, the overwhelming buzz, the general busyness of it all put her on edge.

She didn't know why.

She found him standing by his desk and took a moment to note the change in him. Gone were the jeans and flannel. Plaid seemed to be long forgotten. The often shaggy mess of hair was pushed into submission away from his face. In his dress pants and shirt, he looked…

Well, different. Grown up. No longer a boy full of dreams, he looked every bit the man ready to face reality.

His dark brows where knit in troubled concentration when she approached him.

"Clark?"

Clark glanced up, smiled warmly and accepted her peck on the cheek. "Lana." His frown returned when his gaze almost immediately shifted back to the paper in his hand.

"Are you…ok?" Lana asked, standing on tip toe to see if she could get a glimpse of what had her super guy so engrossed.

"Um…I'm not…sure."

"What is that?"

"Copy that I wrote for a story." Clark distractedly explained. "I just got it back from proofing."

Her eyebrows rose in understanding. "Oh. Did they bleed all over it?"

"No, that's just it." Clark answered as he casually sat on the edge of his desk. He was obviously surprised. "There's not a single change."

A mixture of confusion and amusement spread over her expression. "That's usually a good thing, right?"

"I don't know." Clark shrugged. "I've never had copy come back clean before. Especially not when Lois proofs." He added under his breath.

"She rough on you?" Lana asked with a twinge of edge to her voice.

"Rough?" Clark practically snorted. "Let's just say when Lois Lane proofs, she doesn't bleed, she massacres." Rolling his eyes and shaking his head in mild irritation, his eyes lit up when, just behind Lana, someone greeted them.

"Hey, guys!"

"Chloe!" Clark jumped off his desk. "Just the person I need to see." He shoved the paper in her face. "Take a look at this."

"Uh, ok." Surprised by the greeting, Chloe's eyes narrowed. "What am I doing here?"

"Proofing."

"Ah." Chloe scanned the page and pointed to a few minor changes then handed it back to Clark. "Good stuff there, Kent."

"Thanks." Clark frowned.

Chloe and Lana exchanged glances. Chloe stifled a grin. "Uh, Clark. What's the problem?"

Clark scratched his head in confusion. "I don't know. It just doesn't seem quite…" Sliding over to his desk he dropped into his seat and grabbed a red pencil. His own intense scrutiny began. "There's no way this part would have passed the Lois test." He marked through a section and hurriedly scribbled something. "And this? Please. She'd have my head…"

Chloe and Lana exchanged another glance. This time, it was Lana that spoke. "Clark, come on. I thought we were going to lunch."

"Right." Still engrossed, he slashed through another section then paused. His face scrunched into an apology as he turned to them. "Sorry. Do you mind going ahead? I'll just finish this and join you."

"Sure." Chloe shrugged.

"Ok." Lana agreed, unable to say no to those eyes. "But don't take too long, ok?"

"Sure thing." Clark promised.

Two hours later, Lana Lang was still waiting for his call.

Tbc…


	2. Chapter 2

Note: Thanks for the amazing feedback!! I had this one pretty much ready so, here you go. Again, I'll be posting _Being Mrs_. soon. Thanks again!!! Hope you enjoy!!

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_Chapter 2_

One miffed Lana Lang returned to the Daily Planet. Even if there had been a crisis, certainly he could have let her know. Instead, she'd now been waiting for three hours. After trying his phone with no response, she decided a face-to-face was called for.

She stopped short in the door of the bullpen, unwilling—or rather, unable—to advance any further. She watched from behind the door, unseen.

He was embroiled in a crisis of an entirely different nature.

Though why it was a crisis was beyond Lana Lang.

"Think again, boys." Clark Kent stood in front of Lois Lane's desk with his arms crossed over his chest and his normally blue eyes as gray as the steel in his expression. His obvious disagreement was with two burly men in dark blue jump suits. Both had the words 'DP Maintenance' written in bold, white block letters on their back. "You're not taking it."

"Look, Kent. We've got our orders." The bald man responded, not budging.

"Change them."

"Give us a break, man. We can't do that."

"Then who can?"

The slightly smaller man glanced down at a clip board in his hand. "Says right here…Tess Mercer's the one that signed the order. Sorry, dude. When the top dog barks, we get the leash."

"Fine." Clark's tone was clipped and cold as he reached behind him and grabbed Lois' phone. He began to dial but remained a human wall between the men and their mission, whatever that may be. "Then I'll call Ms. Mercer and _she_ can tell you. That's Lois Lane's desk and you are _not _touching it."

"What's going on?" A female voice entered the conversation unexpectedly. "I heard there was a problem down here."

"Tess." Clark put the phone down and immediately launched into a defense of his actions. "Look, I know Lois has been a bit vague about her return date, but taking her desk? Do you really think that's the best way to get her back here?"

"Oh, this has nothing to do with getting her back, Clark." Tess explained as she fully stepped into the mix. "Besides, I think that power lies in someone else's hands."

Ignoring the pointed comment and the way her eyes rested on Clark in knowing accusation, Clark's eyes narrowed. "Wait. What do you mean? Have you fired her? You couldn't have. I mean, you know why she's in Star City. She's taking care of Jimmy, another one of your employees, by the way. And I don't see you packing his boxes."

"Clark, this has nothing to do with firing anyone. I am fully aware of their situation and have no intention of breaking my word. When they're ready to come back, they're jobs are waiting for them." She shrugged, devoid of any guile. "We simply need a temporary desk in another location. Lois will get it back, when she gets back." She turned to walk away, one last parting shot tossed over her shoulder. "_If_ that ever happens…"

"Oh, Lois _will_ be back, Tess." Clark's confidence stopped her. She turned back to him, a smirk on her face. "Of that, I have no doubt."

"And you're sure of this because…she told you?" Her smirk deepened when Clark's gaze shifted uncomfortably. His cheeks flushed. "So, the rumors are true. The famous Lane-Kent partnership is on the rocks." She seemed to take a bit of pleasure in that conclusion. "I'll bet I've heard from her more than you have."

Clark looked ready to lunge. His jaw tightened. His eyes flashed with irritation.

"What makes you so sure she'll come back?" Mystified by this unexplainable but obvious connection between two unlikely people, Tess' curiosity was genuine.

"Because I know her." Clark shot back. "She loves what she does. And she's good at it. There's _nothing_ that would make her give it up."

"I agree. But there are a gazillion newspapers around the world, Clark. She doesn't have to be at the Planet to be a reporter. And given current configurations, I wouldn't blame her if she never darkened these doors again. After all, who would want to go from center of the universe to an afterthought?" Tess turned to the two men who were obviously confused and bored by the conversation. She actually snapped her fingers. "Guys. Move the desk."

Tess staccato stepped herself out of the bullpen. The moving men brushed past Clark like he was nothing.

And Clark Kent stood paralyzed. He looked like he'd been punched in the gut with a fistful of green meteor rocks. Like he was suddenly lost. Or that he'd lost his best friend. His blue eyes were dull. His full lips in a prolonged pout. The sadness in his expression was undeniable.

A loud shuffling sound snapped Clark out of his daze. He spun around and took in the scene. "Wait, wait, no. Not that. That's her favorite mug." Clark lunged for the item that was being carelessly tossed into a box then issued another command. "Hey! Be careful. That's delicate." Heaving a sigh he pushed the men out of the way. "You know what…just back off a second, ok? Let me pack it up."

The men backed away to give him space. Meticulously careful, each item was handled like a newborn baby. In no time, the desk was clear of everything save Lois' computer and phone…

…and her name plate.

Clark reached for it and paused. His shoulders rose and fell with a deep sigh as he lightly ran his fingers over the letters of her name. What he was thinking, only Clark could tell. His face was an unreadable mask. The name plate hovered for a moment over the open box.

Then, as if making a decision, Clark shook his head and moved to the front of his desk, where he deposited her name with a defiant and determined thud…

…right next to his.

Tbc…


	3. Chapter 3

Note: Wow, guys! I'm really amazed at your feedback. Thank you so much!! I know it's hard to have Lana in the picture here, but trust me, this **all **about Lois. And Clark, of course. Hope you enjoy!!

_Chapter 3_

_--_

To make up for lunch, he took her to dinner.

To a quaint little Italian place where he was obviously a favorite.

"Clark! My boy!" He was greeted with a warm hug and a kiss on each cheek by a woman in her mid-fifties with a thick, Italian accent. Her graying hair was pulled back from a round face into a loose bun at the base of her neck. Her large eyes feigned hurt, though try as she might, she couldn't hide the light twinkle in their depths. "It's been…too long. You forget your Bella?"

"Beelllla." Clark drew out her name, his eyes shining with laughter. "My beautiful. How could anyone ever forget you?" He leaned forward and kissed her lightly on the forehead before whispering a playful suggestion. "Are you sure you won't run away with me tonight?"

"Oh, go on." She slapped him playfully. Her laugh made her whole body shake. The older woman's eyes shifted curiously to Lana then back to Clark. "And who is this tiny thing?"

Clark turned to Lana with a smile and placed his hand on her lower back, a clear sign of possession. A flicker of something passed through her eyes. "Bella, this is Lana. Lana Lang. I promised her the best pasta this side of the Atlantic."

"Ah." She beamed at his compliment. "I forgive you now for long absence." She pulled two menus from their holder by the register. "Your usual table?"

Clark paused. "Uh…" Then seemed to make a decision. "…no. Let's try something new tonight. Anywhere you want to put us is fine."

Her smile deepened knowingly. "Follow me. I give you good seat."

Once seated in the center of the empty room and having placed their order, Clark excused himself. Lana watched him head toward the back of the restaurant, and felt the knot that had been in stomach since that afternoon loosen.

After a brief and surprisingly uninformative apology, Clark had been extra solicitous of her attention. He'd taken off early. Spent an hour in the park with her. He'd even bought her flowers. And now, dinner.

Lana glanced around her. It was…nice. Not really her style. The décor was a bit bold and over the top, and the music was a bit more Frank Sinatra than she liked. But the warmth of their greeting seemed to balance the experience.

Someone came to the table with their drinks.

"So, Bella." Lana smiled and tried to make conversation. "I take it Clark comes here a lot."

"Si, si. He's one of our regulars. He and…" She stopped short, the name 'Lois' obviously on the tip of her tongue. She tried to cover quickly. "We love that boy. He's so sweet, so considerate. He reminds me of my own bambino, Donati. Always caring for others."

Now, she was just rambling. Or perhaps over-sharing was part of her personality.

Either way, Lana decided to address the eighteen ton elephant in the room. "And Lois Lane?" That, and get a bit more information. "I assume she's a regular too."

"Lois? She introduced him to us." Her smile broadened affectionately. "She's an original piece of work, that girl. Never the same twice. Unpredictable as the wind. The devil incarnate, my Domi says." Hands in constant motion, Bella chuckled and shook her graying head. "I say she's just passionate. Bold. Like we Italianos."

"They must be quite a pair to watch."

"Oh, si." She laughed, sending her double chin into convulsions. "The way that girl pushes and pulls him around. Domi says she's trouble. And he warns Clark all the time to watch himself." Her smile deepened dreamily. "Ah, but the way Clark handles her. It is so…" She cupped her fingers together in front of her lips and kissed the air. "…bellisimo. I do not think anyone in this world could do it as well as he does."

"I'm sure you're right." Lana tried to hide the tightness in her voice with what she hoped was an unaffected smile. She glanced around curiously, trying to guess the answer before she asked the question. "So, where is Clark's usual table?"

"Lois and Clark? Oh, they usually sit in a little booth in a corner in the back." Bella answered with a dismissive wave of her hand. "But he wouldn't want to sit there tonight. Not with pretty girl like you." A knowing glint flashed through her dark eyes. "The lighting is no good and the space is quite small. Only big enough for two who don't mind touching a bit."

Lana couldn't be sure if the old woman was completely oblivious or purposely taunting her.

"Hmmm, sounds kinda intimate and cozy to me." Lana mumbled to the table as her gaze lowered. That knot began to tighten again.

If Bella heard her, she didn't let on. "So, how do you know our Clark?"

"Oh, we've known each other since high school." Lana informed the inquisitive lady. For some reason, she felt the need to stake her claim. "And we've been in love for just about as long. In fact, we've just gotten back together."

That flicker returned. "I see."

Something in her now closed expression told Lana she didn't see at all.

After such an eager exchange of information, the sudden silence was quite uncomfortable.

It was fortunate for both of them that Clark returned just at that moment. "Alright. What have you two girls been talking about?"

Before either got to answer, a man with a booming voice came bursting through swinging metal doors from the kitchen. "Where is she? Where is the little vixen?"

Clark spun to face the raging bull with his hands raised in protest. He crossed to the center of the room, all the while fighting back a grin. "Whatever it is, Dom, I promise she'll fix it."

Dom rushed Clark then pulled up short. He was short, but stocky. What little hair he had left was as thin and gray. The lines on his face were deep. It was clear that a long life of manual labor had made his body hard. Even though he only came to the middle of Clark's chest, there was no doubt he would win in any match. Any human match, that is.

He punched Clark in the chest with an insistent finger. "You promise? Or your Lois promise?"

"Is there a difference?" Clark asked innocently then rolled his eyes with a sigh at the man's still fierce expression. "Alright. What is it this time?"

"She tell me she bring me special gift." Shaking his head and throwing his hands in the air. "Where is it? I see no gift. Four weeks. Nothing."

"Dom, come on." Clark cajoled. "She's been out of town with a family crisis." That softened Dom's expression, but suspicion still remained. "I'm sure she's just not had a chance to get it you." Dom's lips twitched with indecision. Clark pressed. "When has Lois Lane _ever_ failed to deliver?"

As if on cue, the door opened and in walked a man with a package in his hand. "Excuse me. I have a package for one…" He read the label. "…Dominic Santori."

"I Dominic." Dom pointed to himself. "Who from?"

The delivery man crossed the room and put the box on the closest table before glancing down at his delivery sheet. "Says here…Lois Lane."

A brilliant smile flashed across Clark's face then disappeared instantly when Dom's sharp gaze snapped to his face. Clark bit back a chuckle. Dom signed for his package then went to see for himself that Lois Lane's name was indeed posted as the sender.

Turning to Clark, Dominic scrutinized him with narrowed eyes before responding to Clark's knowingly raised eyebrow with a curt nod. "You have too much faith in that little devil."

Shrugging, Clark's lips quirked into the beginning of a smile. "That's what happens when someone keeps proving you right."

"Ok Meal tonight on house." Dom pronounced suddenly.

"Dom, you don't have to…"

"_You_ believe in her." Dom's finger indented Clark's chest. "_She _deliver promise." Another indent. "You _no _pay." Two more indents for emphasis.

Clark tilted his head in gratitude. "Thank you."

"Pshaw!" Dom shrugged his shoulders in mock irritation. "You too good for her. She no deserve you."

Clark's grin reappeared. "You know you love her, Dom."

Dom openly scoffed, though the gentleness in his eyes echoed Clark's words. "I too good for her too."

"I'll be sure to tell her that." Clark called out to the eagerly retreating restaurant owner as Dom headed back to the kitchen, package in his hand, oblivious to the guest that had witnessed it all.

A guess that felt the knot in her stomach double.

A guest…that no longer had an appetite.

Tbc…


	4. Chapter 4

Note: Okie dokie…here's the next part. Hope you like it! Though I think it's a slightly different tone than the rest of this story, everyone has to have their turning point. Let me know what you think. Thanks again for the fabulous feedback!!

_--_

_Chapter 4_

Apparently, Clark Kent didn't trust Tess Mercer to keep her word.

Which was why, Clark managed to claim each and every story that came close to his desk with the name 'Lois Lane' written all over it. Any exciting, off-beat, sure-to-make-headlines lead, Clark Kent nabbed it with a ferocity that would have made Lois beam.

He'd work it. Research it. Write it. Then share the byline with none other than Lois Lane herself, usually explaining to their not-so-convinced boss that Lois had 'significant input into the overall messaging and tone' of the story or had provided 'last minute details that flushed out the truth'.

Of course, she supposedly did this all from her perch by the hospital bed of her ailing relative.

As a result, Clark's writing became eerily similar to Lois'. Tess Mercer consistently got front page, above the fold sensational stories. And Clark Kent further secured Lois' reputation with the public, and in turn, her job at the Daily Planet.

Everyone was relatively happy.

Everyone, except one Lana Lang.

Who hadn't seen much of her boyfriend in the past few weeks. Needless to say, this reunion of theirs was not going exactly as she had hoped.

Oh, Clark was still the same sweet, attentive man he'd always been. He could still make her smile with his modest and quiet humor. Or make her heart stop with those blue eyes of his. And the frequent gentle, sincere apologies were always delivered with irresistibly thoughtful gifts.

But something was missing.

Or rather something was present that Lana hasn't expected.

Especially since that something was supposed to be miles away in Star City.

He rarely spoke her name, except in passing. But she was there. In almost everything he did. In how he approached a story. In the distracted, lonely way he went throughout his days. In the long hours he put in covering both their jobs. Even in his physical attentions toward Lana, something was holding him back.

For a couple that had once lived together, the lack of physical intimacy was glaring.

He had explained that he thought they should take things slow. Disappointedly, she had agreed. But there was a huge difference between slow and nearly non-existent.

Finally, Lana decided enough was enough. Clark Kent needed a wake up call. And she was going to be the one to give it to him.

At 2:00 in the morning.

She silently crept into the Kent home and made her way through the dark kitchen toward the stairs that would lead her to Clark's room and hopefully a resolution to what she considered their most obvious problem.

She stopped short when she saw the object of her mission in the darkened living room. The moonlight streaming through an exposed window provided the only light. He looked beautiful in its glow.

Hair tousled from lack of sleep. T-shirt tight across a well-defined chest. Exposed arms rippling with raw strength. Boxers showcasing legs that were two columns of taut muscles.

Clark was pacing like a caged animal. He would pause then turn toward an object with intense determination only to sigh and begin pacing again. His hands would clench and unclench by his side. Or run through his thick hair in frustration.

The object of his consternation?

The telephone.

After watching this go on for about five minutes, Lana was just about to interrupt the monotonous exercise when Clark spun around, plopped onto the couch and grabbed the offending object.

She didn't mean to eavesdrop. Honest. But the temptation was too great and the kitchen phone was so close. She carefully lifted the receiver and put the phone to her ear, watching to see if Clark had noticed anything.

He was too engrossed in the task at hand.

He punched in a familiar number and waited, his knee beginning a bounce of impatience.

The phone rang. And rang. And rang.

From the next room she heard Clark's whispered, "Come on, Lois. Pick up." There was a sigh full of guarded hope. "Just this once. Come on."

There was another sigh. This time it was a mixture of disappointment and frustration. Just as he was about to give up, there was a click.

"Hello."

And a man's voice.

Deep. Smooth. Sexy.

She heard rather than saw the bob of Clark's adam's apple.

"Hello? Who's there?"

The question prompted another. This time, from the caller himself. "Who is this?"

"I asked first."

That confident, authoritative response seemed to knock Clark back. "Uh...Clark. Clark Kent." He cleared his throat. "I'm looking for Lois Lane. I must have dialed the wrong number."

"No, this is her number." The answer stopped Clark's haste to hang up the phone. "So. Clark Kent." The droll voice responded with a new edge layered onto the old. Clark's own name sounded like an accusation. "Certainly wasn't expecting _your_ call."

The man on the other end had all the power. And he knew it. Even the usually clueless Clark Kent knew it. To his credit, he refused to take the obvious bait. "I want to talk to Lois."

"Lo isn't available right now." There was a pause. "She's in the shower." A smirk. A suggestive tone. "We've had a _long _night."

Even the shadows couldn't hide the blood red flush of Clark's cheeks at the obvious insinuation. His eyes narrowed. His voice hardened. "Who is this again?"

"Just the guy that has permission to answer her phone." Came the cryptic response. "So did you want to leave a message…Clark?" His name became a taunt.

Clark paused, considering his answer. There was another hard swallow. His jaw muscles worked fiercely. His lips were set in a tight line. His eyes flashed with determination. Then Clark Kent's voice turned steely. "No. No, what I have to say, I'll say to Lois when she comes home."

He clicked off the phone and slammed it down on the table. The phone shattered. The table split. And Clark jumped up from the couch with a roar. His breathing was labored as his pacing resumed.

He looked positively ill.

Piercing blue eyes were layered with an intense emotions, the only other color in a deathly pale face was angrily splashed across his cheeks and trembling lips. He kept swallowing as if that action alone would push back the bile that had risen in his throat.

Suddenly and without warning, Clark spun in the direction of the kitchen. For a moment, Lana thought she'd been caught. In the next, her hair flew back from her face as Clark super sped past her and up the stairs, oblivious to her presence. Before she could take a breath, it happened again. Only this time, the slamming of the front door indicated the direction he had gone.

Phone hugged to her chest, a shaking Lana Lang sank to the floor suddenly very aware the wake up call that had been needed…was her own.

Tbc…


	5. Chapter 5

Note: Ok…so, I hope you guys don't mind that this is a looong chapter. I had a lot to get in, and there was no natural break so…I hope you enjoy! I realize this will seem like it's a step back from the last chapter, but it's not and I hope to make that clear in the next chapter. Also, I hope my breaks make sense...it was really hard trying to figure out how to do those. :) Thank you, thank you, thank you for the amazing feedback on this! Hope you enjoy! Would love to read your reactions!

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_**Chapter 5**_

Sometimes you want something so bad, you ignore everything.

You ignore the clear lines between right and wrong. You ignore the voice in your head telling you it won't work. That on some level, it never did. Or that it isn't the best choice. For him. For you. For anyone.

You ignore the glaring truth in front of your eyes.

You don't want to see it. Because seeing it means the end of a dream.

Lana Lang was done dreaming.

And now, she could see it all. All the big moments and the little things. From the past. And especially from the present.

One day in particular stood out.

It had been the only day Clark didn't have a lead to chase down. Truth be known, it was a forced day off. Tess-induced. Feeling guilty for the lack of attention he'd been giving Lana, Clark suggested a day out in the city. Lana readily agreed.

She had no idea a day in the city with Clark also meant a day with Lois Lane…

"Hey, super dude." The twenty-something, pierced and tattoo-covered server greeted Clark with a brief and rare smile as he stepped up to the counter in the quaint, and overly crowded corner coffee shop. She looked completely bored and totally out of sorts with the bright yellow name tag that happily announced 'Hi, my name is Sally.'

"Hey, Maia."

"Your usual?" The obligatory question was asked in the most uninterested of tones.

"Yes, please." Glancing around, Clark found his party and nodded toward a table in the center of the room where Lana was waiting for him. "I'll just be over there."

"Go squat. I'll have it to ya…" She turned to one particularly cheery co-worker who was bouncing around behind her with a vacant look in her eyes. She turned back to Clark with a sigh. Her tone was droll and accusatory "…as soon as Ms. Lite-Brite gets outta my way."

Clark chuckled then headed to the table and greeted Lana with a quick peck on the cheek. "Hey."

"Hey." Lana smiled up at him and watched as he deposited his six foot something frame into the chair opposite her with a sigh. "I'm glad you suggested this place. I really like it."

Clark glanced around, his own smile growing. "Yeah, it's the closest thing to the Talon I've found in Metropolis."

Lana observed him as his eyes lingered over the décor, the guests. He looked so at home here. In the center of complete chaos. "You seem to have adjusted well. Working in the big city, I mean."

Clark shrugged his answer. "It's not that bad once you get used to it. The city has a lot of great things to offer. There's a lot more going on, that's for sure. More excitement." His smile tilted. "Certainly more things to see besides a cornfield." He added with a soft chuckle and roll of his eyes, "Which would, of course, be Lois' pick for loving it more."

Lana's eyes flashed with something Clark didn't see. His own eyes had taken on a distant look with the unintended mention of her name.

Maia interrupted the silence with a grand announcement. "Here. Your usual. One Lois Lane special and one coffee, black. No cream. No sugar." She stopped short when she saw Lana. Inquisitive green eyes turned on Clark. "Whoa. Lois know about this?"

A flush a red colored Clark's cheeks. His brows furrowed. He nervously ran his hand on his jeans. "Of course." Flashing a forced smile, Clark cleared his throat. "Lois is out of town for a few weeks. This is Lana Lang."

That was it. No explanation. No descriptor. No claim. Just her name.

Maia grunted her greeting then reached for the most wildly extravagant cup of coffee she'd made all day. "Well, if Lois isn't here I'll just take this…"

Clark's hand shot out like a striking snake to cover the cup and protect it from certain destruction. "No, that's ok, leave it." Noticing the confused looks on both ladies faces, he shrugged and mumbled his explanation. "I uh…I like the smell. It's…kinda comforting."

Comforting. That was one word for the concoction Lana _wouldn't_ have chosen.

Strong. Bold. Energizing. Spicy. A mixture of the above. But certainly not comforting.

Not to anyone else but Clark Kent.

"Whatever. It's your dime." Maia shrugged the headed back to the long line waiting her.

Seemingly oblivious to the strangeness of his exchange, he turned to Lana with a smile. "So. We have the entire day. What would you like to do?"

"Hmmm." She pretended to be in deep thought before offering a suggestion. "Maybe see some of those sites the city has to offer?"

"Sounds good." Clark agreed with a nod. "Let me pay and we can get going."

"Ok." Lana smiled though it never quite reached her eyes as she watched Clark head to the counter with an absent Lois' coffee clutched tightly in his hand.

---

They were walking down the street. In the mid-morning hustle and bustle, their pace seemed slow. Lana's hand was in his as she chatted away, filling him in on a humorous moment between a few old friends.

"And so Chloe said…" Lana glanced up at him and noticed the beginning of a grin. Which, given the story she was telling wouldn't be a surprise. Except…he wasn't paying attention to her. His gaze was clearly diverted to something across the street.

Lana pulled up short. "Clark, what's so funny?"

"Oh, nothing." Blinking suddenly at being caught, Clark stopped and turned his full attention on Lana. "I'm sorry. What did Chloe say?"

A dark eyebrow rose as Lana tilted her head in stubborn silence. Clark sighed and rolled his eyes. "Ok. So, you see that guy over there?" Turning, he pointed to a man in the park.

"Yeah?" Lana's tone clearly indicated she didn't see anything overly humorous about a man in a clown suit entertaining a bunch of kids.

Clark's chuckle was low and full. "If Lois saw that she'd…" He chuckled again then cleared his throat. Obviously having second thoughts about sharing, Clark shook his head. "You know what, never mind."

"What?"

"Nothing, really." His tone dulled. He shrugged, a bit of laughter slipping out of his eyes. "It's kind of a private joke anyway."

"Clark…"

"So." As if mentally kicking Lois out of his head, he turned his back to the man and his full attention to Lana with a hint of determination in the depths of his eyes. "You were saying?"

Despite his obvious attempts, even as Lana began her story again, she felt as if she'd lost a part of Clark to a clown in a park and a story about Lois that would never be finished.

--

After visiting the museum and the art gallery, they decided to take in a movie. Once inside, Lana excused herself to go to the restroom while Clark bought snacks. The line for the restroom was longer than the snack line so Lana returned only to stop short when she caught a conversation already in progress.

"Lois saw Marley and Me?" Clark looked half-amused, half-annoyed. "I asked her like five times if she wanted to go and she refused.

"Oops." The girl behind the counter with the name 'Gracie' on her name tag sent Clark a knowing wink. "I guess I wasn't supposed to tell you that."

Clark shook his head with a chuckle. "Typical Lois."

"In her defense…" The girl continued, obviously enjoying this free exchange of information. Or rather, delivery of information. She leaned forward and lowered her voice. "…she was a mess."

"Yeah?" Clark inquired with tilting lips and curious eyes. He mirrored Gracie's pose. "How many boxes?"

She paused, playing on his obvious anticipation, then held up two fingers.

Clark burst into laughter. "_Two_ tissue boxes?! No wonder she wouldn't go with me."

Gracie joined in his laughter. "She was so funny. She denied crying even as she handed me her bag of used tissues." She straightened and immediately morphed into Lois Lane. "Not a word, Gracie May. I'd rather die than let idiot Clark Kent know I cried like an idiot in an idiot dog movie. As far as we're concerned, these here—these tissues—allergies. Can't even be around an idiot dog on an idiot movie screen. It should have been called Clarkie and Me."

Clark's shoulders were shaking with laughter. "Oh, Gracie, thank you. _Thank_ you. You have given me so much ammunition."

"Yeah?" Mischief dancing in her brown eyes, Gracie cupped her face in one hand and leaned on the counter. "Whatcha have in mind? Anything I can help with?"

"Well, now that mention it…"

Lana Lang felt the need to return to the restroom, this time for an entirely different reason.

--

And then there were other days. Other moments. Sprinkled here and there throughout the past few weeks. Usually just a flicker, a hint of trouble on their bright horizon.

Easily ignored because they were seemingly little things. Things like…

"Wow, it's been a while since I've been in this truck." Lana commented as she slid over in the front seat.

"Yeah, I'm amazed it still runs." Clark responded as he shoved the key in the ignition and turned it.

The engine cranked. The speakers roared to life.

"Whoa." Lana raised her voice to be heard over the heavy beat pounding through the sound system. "Let me guess. Lois drove this last." She reached over to turn the knob to off. She managed bearable.

Clark's hand covered hers. Her curious gaze snapped to his face.

"Actually, uh…do you mind if we listen?" His gaze shifted with guilty embarrassment. "This song has a really good part coming up."

"This song." Lana quirked an eyebrow at him.

He nodded vigorously. "Yeah. I mean, I know it's not my usual style, but…the chorus is really good. Oh, and there's this one part near the end..." A grin appeared. His eyebrows actually wiggled. "…it seriously kicks."

"Kicks?" Lana repeated surprised, then turned to the front and braced herself for a wild ride. "Uh…sure. Turn it up if you want." Clark complied. "What group is that anyway?"

"Whitesnake." Clark supplied with a shrug of his shoulders as if he'd been listening to Lois' favorite group all his life.

_And then there was the girl at the deli…_

"Here's your change." A slight, pretty girl handed Clark some money with a sweet, shy smile. Clark turned to go, but was stopped by the girl's next statement. "Oh, Clark. Next time you see Lois tell her I said thanks."

"For?"

"She gave me some really good relationship advice recently."

"Lois did?" A dark eyebrow rose. "Really."

"Yeah, I was in a pretty bad relationship with a guy that treated me like dirt. You know, he lied to me constantly and always left me hanging when I needed him the most. He was really selfish, you know? It was all about him all the time. His needs always came first. And he had this crazy way of making everything sound like he was doing everything for me. Can you believe he actually broke up with me once by text? The coward wouldn't even face me."

Clark swallowed hard at the description.

Ending her mini-rant against her former love, the girl shrugged. "Anyway, Lois happened on me one night after we'd had a pretty bad blow up. She took care of me that night. And then she told me to dump him and find a real man that would treat me the way I deserved."

"Thing is…I didn't really think I deserved anything better." Her shy gaze lowered. This was obviously the most information she'd probably ever shared with anyone. Anyone, perhaps, except Lois Lane. "Lois kinda…straightened me out on that one."

Clark's knowing smile was warm. "I'm sure she did."

Her smile lit her suddenly pretty face. "Well, I dumped the bum and uh…now, I'm dating this really great guy. I've never been happier."

"That's great. I'm really glad for you." Clark's sincerity was not lost on the girl.

She hesitated then added something she obviously hadn't planned. "You know, she said true love doesn't hurt. It trusts. It believes. At the time, I thought she was just saying that, that she was one of those fairy tale types, but…she was right." She chuckled, her affection for Lois obvious. "You know, for being a smart ass she's pretty wise."

"Yeah." Clark's grin deepened and his eyes shadowed with something unnamable. "Yeah, she is that."

"Who is what?" Lana made her presence known.

"Oh, um…" Clark turned to her, not knowing she'd heard the whole conversation. "…just…" His gaze shifted and the blue of his deepened with awe. "…someone who never ceases to amaze."

_And the vendor on the street…_

After a quick lunch in the park one day, Lana was escorting Clark back to the Planet. He saw something up ahead and started to grin. "Wait. I'll be right back."

Before she could respond, he moved on ahead without her. She quickened her pace, curious, and made it to him just in time to hear, but not fully understand, the conversation.

"Morris."

"Kent."

The two men faced off with each other in a comical showdown.

One was on street level standing in front of the other's makeshift store. Both had their arms crossed over their chests. Eyes narrowed. Charles Morris had a stogie sticking out of the corner of his mouth and a stained wife beater stretched over his portly frame.

Morris began the duel.

"So. Where's your mouthy cohort?"

"She's away for a few days."

"And she left you in charge?" He chewed his cigar and eyed Clark suspiciously. "The world must've come to an end or somethin'."

"Or something."

Morris glanced in Lana's direction. "Looks like you found a replacement."

Clark nearly snorted. "Now, Morris, you know as well as I do, Lois Lane is one of a kind."

"True." Morris agreed, giving nothing away through his unreadable mask. "Fortunately."

A seeming cat-and-mouse game continued. "You got anything for me?"

"I might have had something for Lane."

"Just this once, why don't you consider us one in the same?"

"Don't I always?" Morris commented wryly as he reached beneath his counter and pulled out a rolled up newspaper. He took a furtive glance around then quickly slipped it across the counter.

Clark glanced inside the paper and smirked. He seemed to be pleased with his find and nodded to Morris. "Thanks."

"Come on now. I expect more 'an that." Morris challenged before shifting to look around him at his various wares. "So, what'll it be?"

Clark contemplated the man before him a second before answering. "My usual."

Morris hrumphed then handed Clark a pack of gum. "Anything else?" Suddenly, he brightened if that was even part of his expressive repertoire. "A flower perhaps? For the pretty lady?"

"You know, I think I'll pass."

Normally, Lana would have been offended. Given Morris' meager offerings in the floral 'bucket' of his 'shop', she was actually grateful.

"You always pass. Today's different." Morris continued haranguing Clark.

"Really? Why?" Tilting his head to the side, Clark looked puzzled.

"Because there's a different girl on your arm."

Clark chuckled suddenly. "Nice try."

"Should've known you'd take _her_ side." The way he said 'her' it was clear which her in Clark's life he was referring.

Clark's dubious gaze shifted to the same bucket Lana had noticed. There were five flowers. Three of which were limp with lifelessness. Two were beginning to wilt. "Not that hard to do in this case."

"Hey…" Morris jabbed an accusatory finger in the air. "….I'll have you know her complaints have cost me my booming florist business."

"Somehow I don't think her complaints were the reason." Clark shot back, not unkindly. "Look. Why don't you…I don't know…try taking some of her suggestions?"

"And what? Buy fresh cut flowers? To sell on the street?" The seeming ridiculousness of the idea was proven with a loud scoff and a roll of Morris' eyes.

"It'd be a start." Clark bit back a grin.

"That'll happen the day Ms. Motor Mouth takes flowers from the likes of you." Morris retorted, then rocked back on his heels, sure he'd issued an impossibility.

"Alright." Clark nodded once and held out his hand. "I'll take that bet."

"What?"

"You get flowers worthy of Lois Lane and not only will I buy them from you, Lois _will_ accept them from me right here in front of you." Clark paused before offering a cherry on top of the already sweet deal. "May even get her to do a write up on you."

"Never happen." Morris predicted. But he shook Clark's hand anyway. As he released Clark's hand, Lana saw the flash of a hundred dollar bill stuffed in his palm. Her eyes nearly bulged at the amount.

"Oh, it'll happen, Morris." Clark flashed a smile. "And just think…how rewarding will it be for both of us when it finally does?"

As they walked away, Lana couldn't hold her curiosity any longer. "Ok. What was that all about?"

"He's a vet. An old Army pal of Lois' dad." Clark explained as they crossed the street. "Very proud, very stubborn. Even though he desperately needs help, he wouldn't take a hand out if his life depended on it. So, Lois finds creative ways to pay him."

"Like asking him to get information for her?" Lana guessed.

Clark's voice softened with admiration. "Exactly. We usually don't have a clue what he's written, but at least he has reason to take our money."

"And the bit about the flowers?"

"That's a little battle between them." Chuckling softly, Clark steered Lana in and out of the oncoming crowds. "And I just upped the ante."

They reached the doors of the Daily Planet and paused. Lana turned to look up into Clark's eyes, concern edging her voice. "Clark, I think it's wonderful to help him like that, but…a hundred dollars?"

Clark's jaws tightened. "Actually, it was two hundred." Seeing the surprise on her face, Clark's eyes narrowed. "He sacrificed for his country, Lana. There isn't enough money in the world to pay him back for that."

"Clark, I didn't mean…"

"He's important to Lois." Clark cut her off, his tone hard, hurt. "And you can't put a price on that either…"

--

There are more. Too many to recount. Too many to deny any longer.

And the sum of all these…

His need to protect, to provide for her. His desire to meet her high expectations. His deepening awe. His unquestioning belief in her promises. The way he'd let her seep into every aspect of his life. His likes, his dislikes. His everyday haunts. The simple fun and deeper joys. The give and take of their partnership. His palpable longing. His intense jealousy.

The sum of all these…

…lead to one undeniable conclusion.

Clark Kent was still the love of Lana's life.

But she was no longer the love of his.

For Lois Lane had stolen his heart…and held his infinite love in the palm of her hand.

Tbc…


	6. Chapter 6

Note: Next part. Thanks again for the amazing feedback. As I stated, I'm not watching current eps, but I'm glad to know this fic is able to help some of those who are. As always, I hope you enjoy and would love to hear what you think!! You guys are AMAZINGLY wonderful!! :)

--

**Chapter 6**

He had been missing in action for five days.

Knowing what prompted his sudden departure from Smallville, Lana hadn't been worried. At first. By the second day, no word from him simply meant he and Lois were either happily bickering over the terms of this new deal of theirs or solidifying their relationship in more tangible ways.

Lana began packing her bags.

A frantic call from Chloe on day three indicated Lois Lane hadn't seen or heard from their collective super dude either.

That's when Lana decided action was required.

Sitting at a borrowed computer, she inserted her flash drive and opened a special file. She hit print. Two copies. As the printer began its steady whirl, Lana pulled out a piece of stationary and a pen. A hint of a smile touched her lips as she began to write.

--

Early the next morning, there was a knock on Lois Lane's door. She stumbled and mumbled her way through the hotel room and peeped through the hole. She was tempted to not open the door. But the man in blue was relentless.

Sighing, Lois unlocked the door and swung it open. "Yeah?"

"I have a package for Lois Lane." He handed her the package with a smile.

She looked at it warily before shrugging her shoulders. "Eh. I guess I'll be her today."

After five minutes of proving she was, in fact, just joking, Lois closed the door and shuffled to the couch. "Sheesh! Who would've thought those overnight guys took their jobs so seriously?" She plopped down with a groan. The volume only increased when she saw 'Smallville, Kansas' on the return address.

She was two seconds from dismissively tossing the package across the room when something caught her attention. "Lana Lang?" She sat up straight. Hazel eyes narrowed. "What would Lana have to send to me?"

Instinct told her it had to do with one clueless farmboy-turned-reporter named Clark Kent. He was still clueless. And she was still way too curious for her own good.

Lois ripped into the package and pulled out a semi-thick folder. Attached to the front was a brief note.

_Lois, _

_I thought you'd find the contents of this quite interesting…_

--

On the afternoon of day five, there was no longer a reason to delay. If Clark Kent wasn't going to give her the opportunity for a face-to-face good-bye this time, she'd have to do it the next best way.

She only hoped he'd forgive her.

She had a feeling he would.

As she placed a binder on the kitchen counter, Lana dug into her purse and pulled out the carefully written letter she'd slaved over most of the morning. She hesitated, took a deep breath then placed it on top of the binder, sure that he would find it once he was home and his stomach led him to its discovery.

Glancing around the home that had been so much a part of her life, Lana's smile was bittersweet. She was doing the right thing. The only thing. For all of them. That didn't mean it still didn't hurt.

She turned to go then stopped short.

"Clark."

He seemed oblivious to her surprise. Or her sadness. Even her sudden nervousness slipped his attention. Intent on getting out what must have been a prepared speech, Clark's tone was soft, but clipped. His gaze shifted. "Lana. We need to talk."

"I know." She commented just as softly. "I uh…I didn't expect to see you. I thought you'd be in Star City. With Lois."

Clark's gaze snapped to her face. Reading her knowing expression, Clark's sigh was full of relief. At least that was one explanation he wouldn't have to make. "I did go there. Right up to her door in fact. And then I realized…I didn't have a right. To barrel into her life and demand answers about how she was spending her time, with who or even why. Not after the choices I've made."

He swallowed hard, knowing the next words would hurt her. "Lana, I _want_ that right."

"I see." She took it better than he expected. "So, this thing with you and Lois…how long has it been going on?"

Clark shrugged as he stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Hard to tell. It's been happening so slowly and hit so suddenly…" A faint smile touched his lips as memories washed over him. "Probably from the beginning."

She knew it wouldn't change anything. Realizations had been made. Decisions had followed. Still, there was a part of her that needed to know how much of it had been real. "And yet, you said you wanted to be with me again. Why?"

"Habit. Fear." No doubt. No hesitation. He really had thought things out. "You do something your whole life and it's hard to stop. Especially when the future in front of you is so…unclear. And downright scary."

He moved past her to stare out the window, his hands on his hips, his shoulders squared. "Even though I know what I have to do, I find myself at times, trying really hard not to do it. And clinging to the familiar, to someone who already knows everything and can't be hurt by it, it was…"

Unable to find a word that wouldn't belittle the woman standing in front of him even more, Clark let the thought dangle.

Understanding pierced her heart like a knife. Lois had even been part of that. "So, I was your escape. A little detour on the way to your destiny."

He turned, his apologetic gaze meeting hers. "I loved you, Lana. For as long as I can remember. I would have done anything for you. And did. At times, when you didn't even know it." He pulled in a ragged breath and leaned back against the counter, his arms cross over his chest. It was a casual pose. A protective pose. "When you left me with nothing but a video taped good-bye, you left a hole in me so large…" A hint of the pain she caused filtered through his expression, into his voice. "…not even you could fill it."

His distant gaze softened, his features lightened. The depths of his blue eyes sparked with life. With understanding. With acceptance. With contented peace. "But someone else did."

"Lois."

"Yes." His chest rose and fell with an awed sigh. "She doesn't know my secret, but somehow it doesn't matter. She's been with me every step of the way. Never asking questions, never judging. She just accepts me as I am and pushes me to be all she knows I can be. Sometimes she's had to drag me along. Sometimes she leads the way. In the end, she's always standing by my side."

Lana was finding it hard to breathe. "Sounds like…what you needed."

"She's exactly what I need." The confidence in his voice was staggering. Lana had never seen him more sure of himself. Of anything. He continued in the same vein. "And somehow, somewhere in the middle of all this, I became more. _She_ made me more. More than I was. More than you knew me to be."

He took a few hesitant steps forward till he was standing in front of Lana. He gazed down at her, no condemnation in his expression. In fact, what she found there was …unexpected. For who would have ever thought Clark Kent could be grateful that she broke his heart? "Lana, I don't think that could have happened if you'd stayed. So, for that, I thank you." There was a pause. A beat. Then the strains of the inevitable. "And now, because of that, I'm asking you to leave."

In that moment, she realized there had been a small part of her that had wanted to be the one to walk away first. That selfish part that wanted to claim the upper-hand. Make the sacrifice. Be the martyr. Be the strong one. That way, she'd still have some hold on him.

But that all belonged to Lois now.

Lana swallowed that defeat hard, then nodded in understanding. "My bags are already packed. In fact, I came here to leave something then I was going to leave." She turned to the counter and picked up the binder before handing it to him. "Here."

"What is this?"

"Just a little story I wrote." Noting Clark's surprised expression, Lana softly chuckled. "What? You didn't think I could constantly rub elbows with all you literary types and not get the desire to try my hand at some point, did you?"

He flipped through the pages, his brows furrowing. "What's it about?"

"It's a true story." She explained softly. "Rather, several little true stories. Of things I've experienced here. Little observations of a hundred little things…when added all together they make…"

"The Sum of All These." Clark read the title, his eyes flickering back to hers.

"Yeah." Her smile deepened. "Even apart, the two of you are…undeniably beautiful together." Her gaze lowered to the folder in his hands. "I sent a copy to Lois yesterday."

Clark's eyes widened. "Wait. You mean, this is about…"

"You and Lois, yes." Lana chuckled. He really was a bit clueless at times. "And the life you've started building together without even realizing it." She reached over and laid a hand on his arm, capturing his attention. "I'd say be happy, Clark, but I think Lois already has that part already covered."

"Yeah." Her statement was rewarded with a growing smile and sparkling eyes full of love. As usual, that look took her breath away. That it was now meant for another woman…suddenly seemed very right. "I'd say she has."

A few minutes later, Clark had walked her to her car for one final good-bye. Opening the door, she began to chuckle, then turned to him with a knowing smile. "Do you remember that day in the cave? The one where you told me just how much you couldn't stand Lois Lane?"

Clark chuckled. "Uh…yeah, actually, I do."

"Remember what I told you?"

"Yeah." Memories layered his eyes. "The best ones always start out that way."

"You have a best one, Clark." Lana predicted with a smile. "Don't waste time. And don't ever let go."

"I won't." Clark promised before leaning over and planting a chaste kiss on her cheek. When he pulled back, a sense of incredible peace settled over him. "Good-bye, Lana."

"Good-bye, Clark Kent. Do good in the world." With those final words, Lana Lang disappeared from Clark's life forever.

Tbc…


	7. Chapter 7

Note: I'm so glad you all are sticking with me on this one!! Only one chapter to go. I promise I'm not trying to hit the Lana-is-good nail on the head too many times, (cuz seriously—I can't stand the chick), but I wanted this transition piece in here and really, really wanted to give Clark and Lois a chapter all to themselves with little to no mention of anyone else but them. That one's coming up. ;) I know it might be hard to stomach Lana as a 'goodie', but honestly, there's no other way SV would write her out so, I kinda took the same approach only emphasizing Lois a lot—hopefully, I've been able to do that.

Anyway, hope you enjoy!! Would love to hear your thoughts!! Again, next chpt—the Clois we all love!!

**--**

**Chapter 7**

She read over the words for what seemed like the hundredth time. In reality, it was the two hundredth.

And as with every time before, Lois Lane felt a tear slip down the side of her face. She let it go, knowing she'd held back so much more than that over the past few weeks.

They were the longest weeks of her life. Nothing had compared to the anguish she felt when the bright sun interrupted unbidden dreams of Clark every morning. And nothing had felt so hollow as the sound of her lonely sighs when she slipped into bed each night.

She missed him. She needed him. She wanted him. So much more than she ever imagined she could. She thought time away would ease the ache, but it only made it worse.

She spent much of that time berating herself for even daring to hope she had a shot. The internal lectures she'd given were harsh and long-winded. All those moments she'd not been able to ignore between them haunted her, making her hate herself for believing in them. Unwanted images of a happy Clark and Lana invaded rare moments of peace.

She lost her appetite. She lost sleep. She felt she was truly going insane.

As a result, she had been on the verge of a major decision when Lana's package had arrived. She'd been offered, and was seriously contemplating, a job in Gotham City. A clean break to survive. It's what she thought she wanted. What she needed.

But reading Clark's days through the eyes of his childhood love changed all that.

And the letter Lana wrote as a post-script made her heart constrict with the strongest of hopes.

_So, tell me, Lois. What do you think of my first attempt at writing? Am I a literary genius or what? Granted the material I had to work with was out of this world and beyond anything I've ever known. But I think it works. I think it works very well._

_As you'll notice, I did not change the names to protect the innocent. I don't think, in this situation, the innocent need to be protected. They need to be stripped bare. Of all their insecurities and doubts. Maybe even hit over the head a few times with the truth. _

_You're probably wondering why I'm doing this. Why I'm not trying to hold on or fight for him. _

_Normally, I might. _

_I love him. I always have. I have no doubt I always will. _

_But that isn't the reason I'm leaving this time. There's a little thing in the human spirit called self-preservation. And the need for that now is stronger to me than anything else. I see his heart, Lois. And with that, I see the handwriting on the wall. I know my end. And it will not be with Clark Kent. _

_Maybe I've always known it. Maybe he has too._

_You know, there were many reasons that Clark and I separated in the past. Secrets and lies and just plain stupidity. This time, the reason was you. You're the best by far. And I'm glad it's you. In fact, if it were anyone else…let's just say I wouldn't be able to let go as easily. _

_I don't need to tell you to take care of him, Lois. It seems like you're doing a pretty good job of that already. And loving him…well, I think you'll manage that just fine on your own too. _

_Where you go from here is up to you and Clark. Just know that he feels it. The pull. The yearning. You have a hold on him that he wasn't able to name. Or even acknowledge. _

_Until now. _

_Until he couldn't reach you. Until your absence blinded him to everything else._

_Even the dream he always wanted and finally had._

_And in the end, maybe that's what he needed. Maybe only in gaining his long-held dream could he realize his reality with you is so much more. Only then could he let go of the past and look to a future that I believe will be brighter than anything his dreams of me could ever hold._

_Love him, Lois. Because God knows, as I now know…he certainly loves you._

_Lana_

Lois Lane felt another tear slip. This time she caught it with a smile as she snuggled into the couch.

Opened Clark's story again.

And waited.

--

Clark waited till the dust settled from Lana's retreating car before glancing down at the missive she left him. Walking slowly back toward the house, he skimmed each page, not needing to read every detail. After all, he'd lived it.

When his eyes fell on the last words, Clark heart swelled with instant longing.

_The sum of all these…_

…_lead to one undeniable conclusion._

_Clark Kent was still the love of Lana's life._

_But she was no longer the love of his._

_For Lois Lane had stolen his heart…and held his infinite love in the palm of her hand. _

"Truer words…" Clark whispered the beginning of the well-known phrase.

He marveled at all that had happened. How things had changed. How he had changed. Without even knowing it.

Or maybe he did.

It had taken a trip to the Fortress to sort it all out. To separate the past from the present. Dreams from reality. Love from caring.

And in sorting it all out, one thing emerged crystal clear.

He didn't just love Lois Lane.

He craved her.

Just as food and water and air was vital to his physical body, his soul…his heart…craved the very essence of her. Her strength. Her courage. Her wisdom. Her heart. Her tenacity and hope. Her faith and love.

Somehow, someway, she had become his everything.

And now, that he knew that…

His blue eyes sparked with determination. Fishing his cell out of his back pocket, Clark hit number one on his speed dial and waited.

The phone rang. And rang. And…

"Hello?"

Clark heaved a sigh of relief as his eyes drifted closed. He knew, given the situation, given the unpredictable nature of the woman on the other line, his chances of being shot down were…well, not in his favor.

But he didn't care. Despite the potential rollercoaster ride ahead, the certain groveling he would endure, the hoops she'd be sure to make him jump through, a broad grin spread over his face. It was the first time he'd heard her voice in weeks.

The first time in just as long that he'd felt complete.

And suddenly, Clark Kent felt he had come home.

"Hello?"

"Lois Lane…" The whispered voice was full of emotion. "…I miss you. When are you coming home?"

There was a pause. And a rustling sound. The smile in her voice was undeniable.

"Open your eyes, Smallville." She paused. "I already am."

Clark's eyes flew open. His gaze instinctively rose. Higher, higher…to the window of the barn loft…

…where Lois Lane was perfectly framed…

…and waiting for him with a smile as bright as the sun.

Tbc…


	8. Chapter 8

Note: Wow, you guys are absolutely amazing! Your feedback is so very appreciated. Ok…so, I know I said one more chapter, but it seems there will be two. Which I should have known would happen when these two finally got in the room together. ANYWAY, I hope you don't mind and I really hope you enjoy. This is kind of a set up for all the big reveals/emotions in the next chap. Thanks again for the support. Would love to hear what you think!!

**­**--

**Chapter 8**

Clark Kent couldn't reach the loft fast enough. He bounded the stairs as if they were invisible. Looking back on it later, he wondered if his feet had even touched them at all.

At the top, he stopped abruptly. And just stared. Breathless. Giddy. Suddenly, overwhelmingly shy.

Raw, newly discovered emotions held them both silent.

Clark drank her in.

She was beautiful. Beyond beautiful. The soft lines of her face made his fingers itch to touch her. To trace each feature. Especially her lips. Bowed, slightly parted. And so very tempting. Her thick hair lay in gentle folds against the long column of her creamy neck. How he wanted to just gather her in his arms and bury his face in that hair. To just breathe her in. Her snug red top and fitted jeans hugged every tantalizing curve. His mouth watered. He swallowed hard.

But beyond all of that, it was her eyes that held him mesmerized.

Two constant swirls of green and brown with tiny, unexpected flecks of gold. So deep and full of emotions he'd only dreamed he'd find there. When he'd dreamed it, how, for how long he didn't know. He just knew with perfect clarity that everything he ever wanted was standing in the room with him.

Centered in her eyes.

Lois wasn't fairing much better.

A god stood before her. His six foot three inch frame had always been impressive. Broad at the shoulders and narrow at the waist, she wasn't sure when he had turned into a wall of solid rock. But turned he had. Standing there, he exuding a sense of coiled, barely controlled power beneath a casual pair of jeans and a white t-shirt.

In perfect contrast, his cheeks were wildly flushed with that mixture of excitement and embarrassment that too often had been the secret reason for her frequent taunts. His raven hair, which of late had been pushed back, now lay in a ruffled mess on his forehead. He looked almost boyish. Untamed.

She ached to ruffle him even more.

And his eyes? They had never looked so blue. So clear. So filled with awe. Tiny shards of ice cut through fathomless depths making them sparkle and blaze with light. The warmth, the desire, the naked longing in his eyes set her body on fire. She unconsciously leaned back against the window frame and curled her fingers into the wood for support.

Clark was the first to consciously move when he tossed the folder Lana gave him onto the table, shoved his hands in his pockets and nervously shifted from one foot to the other.

Lois was the first to speak.

"Hi." Her tone was soft, a near whisper. As if she were afraid any loud noises would break the delicious spell, the tantalizing tension, hanging over them.

"Hi." Clark followed suit. "When did you get back?"

"Just a little while ago."

"So did I."

"You've been gone?" A surprised, curious brow rose.

"Yeah. I uh…I went up north for a few days. I needed to think."

"About?"

"The past. Present." A pause. "Our future."

"Our?" She caught the word, a hint of hope filtered through her question.

He could go there. In a heartbeat. But there were questions that needed to be answered first. By both of them.

Clark cleared his throat and glanced away, unsure he wanted to know the answer to one disturbing question. But needing it just the same, he asked. "I called you when you were in Star City. A man answered your phone."

"Right."

Her non-committal response brought his gaze back to her face. "Who was he?"

"No one worth putting even a hint of green in those baby blues."

Not good enough. After all, it had been that call that sent Clark into a tailspin that led him here. To this moment. To this loft. To her.

"Who was he?"

Surprised by his insistence and the sudden edge to his tone, Lois answered without further hesitation. "Bruce Wayne."

"Hunky billionaire. _Playboy. _Bruce Wayne." Clark stated, eyes widening. Boy, when she picked rivals for him…

"That would be the one." She actually sounded amused.

"Wow. Um…I didn't even know you knew him." He ran an unsure hand through his hair, dislodging even more waves.

Her chest tightened with desire and Lois struggled to keep her voice steady. "I…didn't. I met him the night you called."

"I see." His shoulders dropped an inch.

"I doubt you do." Her response brought his gaze back to her. "It was a case of Lois being Lois. I recklessly went down the wrong dark alley and ran right into a ring of troublemakers. Bruce rescued me and took me back to my hotel room."

Instant concern etched his features. He took an unexpected and unconscious step forward. "Are you ok? Did you get hurt?"

That reaction alone made her heart swell beyond capacity.

Her eyes never left his face, though his were now carefully scanning every inch of her. Well, every exposed inch. Or so it seemed.

She felt the smile coming and bit it back. "Yeah. Yeah, I have a few bruises and scraps, but nothing I can't handle." She continued with her confession when Clark sighed with relief. "But…that night, I was a bit shaken up…more than a bit actually, so Bruce stayed with me." A pointedly raised eyebrow emphasized her words. "On the couch."

Clark blinked rapidly, understanding relaxed his features. "Oh. Because he made it sound like…"

"Yeah, I know. Apparently, that was his version of a test." Lois shrugged as if she didn't get it either.

"A test. Of me." Clark's brows furrowed. "But…he sounded like he knew me."

"Right. That would be my fault." An embarrassed chuckle and a roll of her eyes. Lois shifted nervously at her perch. "Apparently, excessive drink doesn't only increase my desire to belt out Whitesnake tunes, but I happen to divulge quite personal aspects of my life to total strangers as well."

That revelation sent a thrill through Clark. He couldn't stop the quirk of his lips or the teasing in his eyes. An inquiring eyebrow rose. "Oh, so I'm a personal aspect now?"

Her lips tilted in response, a past conversation in this very space echoed through her mind. "Well, I won't tell anyone if you won't." She sent him a playful wink.

And that was it. The spell was broken. It no longer hovered over their heads, separating them. In now sprinkled down around them, weaving in and out, enveloping them in a familiarity that was uniquely Lois and Clark.

"So, this test." Clark took a step forward. "Did I pass?"

Choosing her words carefully, Lois' response was slow and deliberate. After all, Clark Kent still had quite a few questions of his own to answer. "Let's just say…when he told me _what_ you said and _how_ you said it…it removed a few black marks from your record. And then…" She picked up a folder and brandished it in front of her like a shield. "…I received this. From Lana of all people."

Her eyes openly gauged his reaction to the name. There seemed to be none. No hint of sorrow. Not the predictable puppy dog eyes. No longing. "So…how is she?"

Clark shrugged. "Fine, I suppose. She just left."

"I see. And…" Hesitant assumption layered her tone. "…when will she be back?"

"My guess is…baring the end of the world, never."

Her frank open gaze met his. Inquiring. Probing. Needing more than just Lana's current absence to dispel the anguish she'd endure the past several weeks. "Are you ok with that?"

"I should be. I'm the one that told her to go." Clark was just as frank. Just as open.

"So to clarify…" A Lois gesture prompted him for more. "…the two of you are…"

He eagerly obliged her not-so-subtle request. "Over. Done. Finished. The last chapter has been written. The book is sealed and locked away. The fat lady has sung. Stop me anytime I've convinced you..." A grin began to spread over Clark's lips.

"And us?" Her question was breathlessly uncertain.

"Us." Clark repeated taking another slow step forward. "Now, that's a bit more complicated."

"I see." Lois' gaze lowered as she nervously bit her lower lip.

"The term 'us' assumes there's a me and a you. Together. And on the same page." Clark picked up his identical folder from the table and tapped it with his finger. Understanding flared in Lois' eyes. "And while, I think it's been made abundantly clear what my feelings are, the only remaining question mark seems to be hanging over your head."

"Seems to be." Her double-edged agreement was delivered with an unreadable expression. He'd made her suffer these past few weeks, now it was his turn to wait. Besides, her curiosity wasn't satisfied.

"So this." She nodded to Clark's copy and touched her own. "It's not bad. She…has talent."

"You think?" Playing along with Lois' obvious reluctance to jump to the bottom line, Clark's face scrunched in uncertainty.

"What? You don't?"

"I don't know." Shaking his head, Clark glanced back down at his copy then placed it back to the table with a shrug. A steady, meaningful gaze snapped back to Lois. "I think the material pretty much stands on its own. Regardless of who wrote it."

Lois swallowed hard. Clark Kent couldn't be making things any more clear. And Lois Lane wasn't quite sure what to do with that. So, she did what came natural. She asked questions.

"So, is it true? Or did she use creative license to embellish?"

"It's true." He tilted his head in concession. "It's not complete, but…it's true."

"Not complete…how?"

"Well, for one…" He moved with sudden ease to his desk and leaned back against it. Though he was dying to close the gap between them and step into her orbit, he sensed she wasn't quite ready for that.

Yet.

He was careful to address her unspoken doubts as he answered her inquiry. "…she had no way of knowing how many nights I lost sleep because I couldn't get you out of my head. Or that your bunny slippers are now a permanent fixture in my room."

"I wondered where those went." She quipped, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"Kitchen pantry." Clark supplied as a way of explanation. The quirked brow turned it into an inquiry he chose not to pursue. "They're raggedy and old and wouldn't fit even if I tried, but I like seeing them at the foot of my bed just the same." He chuckled, obviously amazed at his own actions. "I've even asked for vinegar to go with my French fries five times the past two weeks."

A disbelieving grin flashed. "But you hate that."

"Apparently, I've acquired a taste." His words laced with a double meaning, an intense gaze was pulled back to her face.

Lois felt her chest hitch, as her grin faded. She pushed herself away from the window and moved to the arm of the couch. Sinking down, her gaze was glued to the folder in her hand.

They had both shifted. Though the distance between them remained the same, all physical barriers had been removed.

Only the obviously strong doubts still rumbling around in Lois' heart kept them separate.

Clark watched her intently. The morphing expressions on her face were nearly unreadable. Nearly. He was able to see the struggle she was having play out. It pained him how much uncertainty his own choices, his own fear, had put in those brave eyes.

He would convince her. Wait for her. Answer her. No matter how long it took.

She wanted so much to believe this was happening. That every word Lana had written was true. That his own actions, the evidence playing out in front of her very eyes was the real deal. But history and her own insecurities needed a bit more convincing.

Quite a bit more.

She pulled in a breath and continued, unable to keep the question out of her voice. "So, you really stood up to Tess to protect my desk."

"Well, someone had to."

"It's just a piece of wood."

"It's more than that to me." Clark's sincerity was unwavering. Lois was glad for the support of the seat beneath her.

She cleared the emotions out of her voice and shrugged nonchalantly. Keep things light. Keep things breezy. "I guess I should thank you."

"For?" Since he'd not been able to keep her desk from being removed, Clark's eyes narrowed with confusion.

"Not revealing my clown phobia."

His sudden chuckle warmed her from the inside out. "Well, certain information just isn't fit for public consumption. I shudder to think what would happen if that tidbit ever fell into the wrong hands."

Her smile was quick and full. Her giggle was light and carefree. "You mock me now, Smallville, but I promise one day I _will _expose Bozo as the menace he is." Their eyes locked and held. The delicious tension between them tightened. Lois was the first to glance away. "There's one thing I don't understand."

"What's that?"

"Lana said something about super speed. She said you super sped past her…like twice." Inquisitive eyes gauged his expression. "Was that just a creative illustration or…something more?"

Clark wasn't surprised. Leave it to Lois to pick up on that one innocuous slip up in Lana's novella. Though that revelation would certainly need to be addressed, at the moment he had a bigger task at hand. The irony of that thought hit him. That he would have a harder time convincing Lois Lane of his true feelings than that he was an alien from another planet was so…typically Lois.

"Why don't we save that question for another day?"

An 'ah-ha' light came on in Lois' expression. "So it is something more."

"Another day."

"When?"

"Soon."

"How soon?"

"Very."

"Promise?"

"Boy Scout's honor." Clark held up his fingers in the well-known salute. Shifting gears, he asked a question of his own. "Why did you leave?"

The sudden, unexpected inquiry hit her hard. "Clark, you know why."

"Yes. For Jimmy. Chloe." Clark answered slowly with a thoughtful nod. "But then you stayed away. Why?"

"For you." A bittersweet smile touched Lois' lips and her gaze shifted to a night she'd been trying to forget. A night she couldn't help but remember. Her dreamy whisper electrified the room. "I saw the look on your face that night, Clark. You were going to kiss me. And it was going to be amazing."

"Yes. It was." Clark barely breathed.

"Then Lana walked in." Her gaze snapped to his face. Reality controlled her features. Her eyes. The suddenly sad lips. "And I saw that look too."

"Lois…"

"You know, I've never really quite gotten the two of you. I mean, I get that she's the perfect princess every guy wants. The thing is…you're not every guy. You're…so much more." She watched Clark's adam's apple bob and found it hard to voice a truth she'd allowed herself to forget for a while. "Still, you love her. And that's been clear from day one."

"Lois…"

Lois interrupted him again. "Clark, whatever was happening between us that night, whether fleeting or real, couldn't move forward until you went back." A helpless shrug moved her shoulders as she tilted her head in a way that sent Clark's pulse racing. "And even though I had to let that happen, it didn't mean I had to watch."

"Most women would have stayed." Clark probed gently. "Tried to stake a claim. Fight or influence. Or been curious, at least."

"I'm not most women." Lois stated with self-confident simplicity, then proved her point without even trying. "Besides, this is one you had to figure out on your own. Any other way would have been no good."

He stared at her a long moment. The admiration in his eyes deepened. When he spoke, the tremor in his sigh was filled with tender conviction. "There you go again."

"What?"

"Knowing me…better than anyone." Though that was true, Lois' explanation had a few glaring misconceptions Clark needed to clear up. "Did you really say love doesn't hurt?"

Lois shrugged, her eyes never leaving his. "Something like that."

"Did you mean it?"

Lois bit her lip and nodded.

"Good." He nodded his own acceptance of events. "I'm glad we're on the same page."

"Are we, Clark?"

It was a simple question, yet so very complicated.

Because it was a challenge.

Not angry or harsh, but a challenge just the same. Lois was ready. As always, she was courageous enough to face the truth head on. To ask the tough questions. And hear the unpleasant answers.

To follow the truth wherever it led.

Which left Clark Kent praying his truth would be enough.

Enough to satisfy her doubts. Enough to answer her fears.

Enough to lead her…straight to his heart.

Tbc…


	9. Chapter 9

Note: Hey all! So sorry it's taken so long. This has been one chapter I really wanted to get right. Hopefully, I have. I know normally, our SV Clark wouldn't be so verbose, but frankly, he has a lot of 'xplainin' to do. And after a lifetime of repression, I gave him permission to explain here. Lois, not so much since we all know where she stands. Thank you all so very much for sticking with me on this one. I have not only loved writing it, but loved getting to know your thoughts and feelings about our wonderful Clois through your feedback. As always, I hope you enjoy!

Also: Big, big, HUGE thank you to daydreamer10101‏ for previewing this for me. You are WONDERFANTABULOUS!

**--**

**Chapter 9**

"Good." He nodded his own acceptance of events. "I'm glad we're on the same page."

"Are we, Clark?"

She had no strategy. She had no plan. In fact, after receiving Lana's package, Lois Lane hadn't thought beyond the moment.

She simply packed her bags and jumped on the first plane.

Back to Clark.

Now, here in the same room with him, she felt unsure. Unsteady. Like she was standing on a slippery rock in the center of a raging river.

She could see the lush, green bank of safety. Fragrant flowers of desire filled her senses. A curved, familiar path of shared feelings stretched with carefree abandon in front of her. In the distance, there was hint of something waiting for her…just beyond her wildest dreams.

It was all so close. Close, but still unreachable.

She didn't want to hurt him. She didn't want to make it difficult or punish him for taking so long to figure it all out. After all, she hadn't been that far ahead of him herself.

And she wanted to take the plunge that would sweep her to shore. She wanted it so bad, she could taste it. But insecurity lashed out at her in waves. Doubt tickled her toes, causing her to squirm. Fear of slipping into waters so deep she'd never recover, paralyzed her.

It was at the precise moment that Clark Kent reached out his hand, bridged the space between them, and offered her a way home.

"Yeah. Yeah, I think we are." Clark paused considering his best course of action. He knew this wouldn't be a cake walk. He'd need to prove himself. Prove his feelings.

To do that, he needed to start at the beginning.

And go further than he ever had.

"You know, I said I went away to think." Clark started slowly. "It was more like going to war with myself. I faced the real me, Lois. It's not the first time, and I doubt it will be the last. But this time, I discovered things that are completely unacceptable to the man I want to be."

"And what kind of man is that?"

"Something more than I've ever been." Seeing the confusion in her eyes, Clark hastened an explanation. "I know that's vague, but it's all I can give you right now."

Lois pondered that a brief moment. "Because it belongs to the answers we're saving for another day?"

"Yeah. That's exactly why."

Pursing her lips in thought, Lois nodded. "Ok."

Clark Kent was floored.

No questions. No pushing or prodding. No nagging insistence. Just complete acceptance.

Just like that.

If it had been Lana, she'd have…

Clark shook the thought out of his head as he tried to keep a smile from taking over his expression. This was the very reason Lana Lang _wasn't_ standing in front of him. Why she wasn't the woman he was going to spend the rest of his life with.

Every cell in his body was alive and alert to that life-changing, world-shattering fact. Now, if he could only find the words necessary to convince her.

"So what are these things you discovered?" Lois prompted, ending the unconsciously prolonged silence.

He shifted. His arms crossed protectively over his chest. His gaze focused on a distant, but fresh realization.

"Just that I've spent most of my life pining away for a dream. Torturing myself because it was always just out of reach or because I'd lost it for…" A flash of regret and near disgust slipped through his eyes. "…too many reasons to name. The funny thing about dreams…they're often unrealistic. And pining is just a way to escape…living."

"So is fear. And that's been an integral part of my life too. I've been too afraid to let anyone get close or reveal who I really am. To be everything I am meant to be." A resolved gaze met hers. "I'm done being afraid. I'm done pining and hurting, and wasting time. And I am _so_ very done with letting life run over me like I have no control." He paused. "I'm ready to live it."

"Those are some pretty big realizations." Lois commented warily, hopefully.

"Yeah. And the first person I wanted to tell…" A hint of pain settled in Clark's eyes. "…was out of my reach."

"But Lana…"

"Was not that person."

"How is that possible?" She didn't doubt his sincerity. Still, the reality of what she knew, what had always been apparent, and his candid words needed to be reconciled. "After everything you've gone through, she was here, Clark. Your dream wasn't unrealistic. It…_was_." It was a whisper. "You finally got everything you wanted."

"And it wasn't enough." The simple intensity of his words was an unexpected blow. "Only you are."

He saw the doubt in her expression beginning to crumble. Crumble, but not break. Hope flared instantly, then faded.

"How can you be so sure? I mean, you've spent all this time thinking she would be. Now suddenly, she isn't? What if it's just the chase you enjoy? Or even…the sadness?"

Tough questions. Fair accusations.

"Because I haven't been chasing you." Clark noted softly. "I haven't put you on some unattainable pedestal. I haven't dreamed of some magical someday with you. And until the past few weeks, your absence has never left this kind of hole in me. This kind of ache." He paused. "Believe me, I did _not_ enjoy it."

"Neither did I." The admission slipped out unexpectedly.

"See?" Clark's lips tilted knowingly. "Same page."

"So, I'm the one you want now." Her guard slid back into place. Not as alert as before, but there just the same. Her shoulders hitched nonchalantly. "Just like that."

"No. Not just like that." Clark patiently tried to navigate the raging doubts still thick in her eyes, her voice. "What happened between us that night was a long time coming. What I'm telling you now is only the result of realizing that."

She was still unconvinced. History gave her the right to be. "But I've been here. I've seen the two of you. I've watched you love her…despite everything. _Beyond_ anything."

"You watched me love a phantom, a dream. And cling to something that didn't exist."

"Don't do that, Clark." Shaking her head, Lois rejected the thought outright. "Please don't act like it was less than it was just to soothe my ego."

"I'm not." Straightforward. Honest. Sincere. "I did love Lana, but in truth we never had a chance. And do you know why?" He didn't wait for an answer. "Trust. She didn't trust me. And to be honest, she had reason not to. Because I didn't trust her, not really. Not for a very, very long time. And by the time I did, I guess the damage was already done."

"But, I always thought the two of you were like…the ultimate, perfect couple. You know…" The words sounded strange to her, even coming from her. "…the star crossed lovers that were destined to be."

"Destiny has better plans." Clark quipped confidently without further explanation. "And appearances can be deceiving." The off-handed way he continued signaled a fundamental change in Clark Kent. It was a change that was not lost on Lois Lane. "Which was another problem. I wanted her to be something she simply couldn't be."

"And what was that?"

"Perfect." Clark answered with a shrug. "Saw her that way, in fact, for a very long time. Which I know is impossible and unattainable and that's not even quite what I mean."

"Then what do you mean?"

A door had been unlocked. And out tumbled all the skeletons. The broken moments. The repressed emotions Clark had built up over the years. The rejections, the fears, the struggles and pain.

"At the same time I was hiding myself, I expected her to know me. To not question my motives, my actions. And maybe that was unfair, but…I mean…" His cast his gaze upward as if he could find the words he was looking for floating in the air above him. He shook his head with a half-chuckle, the irony of the words he found hitting him. "…that's what a soulmate does, right? They recognize you. The _real_ you. The one behind all the masks. They go on instinct and believe in you, despite how things may appear. Despite everything."

A realizing gaze met hers, willing her to understand the underlying message in his words. "I can't tell you the number of times she did just the opposite. She doubted me. Misunderstood…so much. Little thing. Big things. It didn't matter. She never quite accepted me as I was, where I was."

Years of pent up frustration and hurt spilled out in an intense speech that ended with a sigh. "And you know, in the end, none of that really matters. Who did what. Who didn't. Who's to blame. Because ultimately, the real reason Lana and I couldn't make it, is because…" A meaningful gaze swept over her, landing at her eyes. "…_she_ isn't _you_."

"Clark…"

Unfinished, he cut her off. "You walked into my life, Lois, and there it was."

"There what was?" She knew the answer. That didn't keep her from needing to hear it.

"Trust. Acceptance. Instinct."

"But…we didn't even like each other." Lois countered reflexively, her hands in full gesture mode. "Clark, I beat you over the head about your various wardrobe catastrophes and, and being a Kansas farm boy and just…generally everything! And _you_…you think I'm rude and pushy and irritating as hell."

Clark chuckled. "Doesn't matter. While Lana was still trying to figure me out, you knew me, Lois. Where it counts. And you accepted me, flaws and all, in your own frustrating, unique Lois way."

He could see it all over her face. She wasn't trying to be difficult. She just needed…

Examples.

The only problem would be picking which ones of out…how many?

"Look." Clark plunged ahead, starting at the beginning. "You weren't living with us a week and you were already finishing my sentences. And Chloe's non-death? Sure you badgered me about being wrong, but you followed me every step of the way until we found her. And that time when I believed that Alisha was innocent…._you're_ the one who found me, Lois. _You're_ the one who saved me, and pulled me back from a ledge I would have never recovered from. No questions asked."

He jumped to the present.

An animated Clark was on a roll. "And just now, Lois? About Lana's choice of words? About the man I want to be? You're the pitbull that doesn't know how to let go. I didn't even give you an explanation and you just accepted it. Understood it. Why is that?"

"I…I don't know, Clark." Clearly flummoxed by the truth hitting her from all directions, Lois struggled to put her unexplainable actions into words. "You're not a story to me. You're…_Clark_. If you say to wait then I know there's a reason. If you say you'll tell me, I know you will when you're ready."

"Exactly! _That_ is what I'm talking about. _That_ instinct. _That_ trust." He emphasized his point with uncharacteristically jabbed finger to the air. "And it goes both ways. Because I know you too. I know you like I know every inch of this loft."

"Do you?" Another challenge.

And he rose to that challenge.

"When the General calls, there's a three second pause between your first hello and your next words. Your entire body tenses and you hold your breath in that pause. Every. Single. Time. You'd rather die than let anyone know Donny Osmond is your favorite artist, second only to Whitesnake. And Peter Cetera? Forget it." He brushed the thought away with a wave of his hand. "You're a gonner every time 'One Good Woman' comes on the radio."

She swallowed hard and felt something inside of her give way.

"When you've hit the bottom, Rocky Road is your ice cream of choice. It's wild cherry when you're flying high. And mint chocolate when life is just…_good_. Good, in that sit-by-the-fire-in-your-fuzzy-slippers-and-watch-Die-Hard-four-times-in-a-row way."

"You bite your nails when you're afraid, your bottom lip when you're nervous." His non-stop ramble came to an abrupt halt. An intense gaze focused on his latest subject. "Or when you want something really, _really_ bad." His voice softened. "Like a kiss."

Though they were still a room apart, Lois felt as if he were standing right in front of her. Touching her. Reaching inside of her. Finding the deepest part of her heart and carving out a permanent place fit just for him. Every word was a gentle nudge against an already crumbling wall of doubt. Every look, an open plea that pierced her very soul.

Suddenly, she could see them. Stepping stones stretched from a slippery rock of insecurity to the safety of the shore. Steady pebbles of truth. Imbedded boulders built over time. Built by moments. Big, small. Ignored, denied. Finally realized. Moments that tiptoed their way through the dangerous waters, giving her heart a firm place to stand.

She was no longer on that slippery rock.

His gaze caressed her face before locking with hers. "And I know how you're struggling right now…this very second…to hide the hurt I've put in your eyes. You think your tears show weakness. To me, they show just how strong you are. Your feelings…God, Lois, they run so deep, yet you don't let yourself be ruled by them. Right and wrong. Truth. Loyalty. Instinct. These are your guide. Your code."

"Who's on a pedestal now?" The soft quip trembled with emotion. Arms wrapped around her protectively, Lois was trying to hold herself together. To not become a complete fool and launch herself into his arms.

She paused in the journey, halfway to shore.

"Not you." Clark responded gently as he shook his head. "Not unattainable."

An awed smile danced over his expression and landed in his throat where a deep chuckle prompted his eyes to spark with life. "This past year, I have laughed with you, cried with you. Teased you. Been embarrassed by you. Fought with you and compromised. I've protected you, and been protected in return. And yes, you get under my skin like no one ever has. You're irritatingly pushy. At times, off the charts crazy. You never think you're wrong and always admit when you are in words that so cryptic it takes a genius to decipher them."

"Life with you has been one frustrating, dangerous, chaotic mess." A pause. A conclusion. "It's been the absolute best time of my life."

A responding chuckle. A trembling sniffle. A tear slipped unbidden.

"And you know why?" The intensity in Clark's gaze took Lois' breath away. "Because I have _discovered_ you, Lois. And in discovering, I have lived."

"Clark…"

Victory was in reach. He charged ahead. Oblivious to anything but the priceless treasure at the end of the battle.

"By anyone's estimation, the perfect princess is my ideal. And why wouldn't it be? It's all I ever wanted." He held out his arms in a helpless gesture. "Yet here I am, Lois…" The emotions were thick. The love in his eyes, undeniable. "...unexplainably, irrevocably yours. Because in reality, you aren't a dream. You are flesh and blood. Heart and soul. And _your_ name is the one Destiny has written on my heart."

Her lips trembled. Her heart shivered. Her eyes bubbled with tears.

One last step.

One last question. One last doubt. Irrational, given all that had transpired. Irrational, but real. "For how long, Clark? How long will this last before she walks back in and puts me right back where I've always been?"

"She can't. The boy that loved her is gone, Lois." Devotion slipped through his words. Awe filled his expression. "And in his place is the man that you've seen all along. The man _you_ coaxed into life. And believe me…he doesn't want anyone…but you."

At that moment, Clark Kent reveled in the fact he had superpowers she didn't know about. Without effort, he heard her pulse race. Her breath catch, then quicken. And her heart skip a beat. Several, in fact.

He pressed his luck before it ran out. "So, you haven't answered me."

"About?" The tremor in that one word was noticeable.

"That question mark hanging over your head."

"I'm here, Clark." Lois' disbelieving chuckle warmed him. The tear that slipped out of the corner of her eye made his heart ache. That she didn't even try to brush it away made it soar. "Despite all reason and doubt and fear. If Lana's story hadn't brought me home, your call would have. That I even have a place to call home is because of you. Only you."

Now, it was time for a few revelations of her own. "You know, you're not the only one who fought a battle. I've beat myself up thinking all of this was just my imagination. That I'd gotten it wrong, once again. Or that I wasn't good enough. Perfect enough." Her lips quirked. "Who would've known 'perfect' was no longer your ideal?"

Voice softening, Lois eyes shimmered with fresh, unshed tears. "I missed you. So very much." A chagrinned smile began. A roll of her eyes followed. She blinked the tears back. "Which is why…there's been a sudden explosion of primary colors in my wardrobe. Not to mention a few plaid pieces and…" Scrunching her face in disgust, a shudder preceded her mirroring words. "…I shudder to admit…" She paused. An eyebrow rose. "…flannel."

Clark bit back a smile, his eyes growing warmer with each revelation.

"Even found a stray dog outside the hospital." She continued, some semblance of control slipping back into place. "Looked just like Shelby. I snuck it into the hotel, gave it a bath and let it lay all over me while I sneezed and boo-hooed my way through a seriously sappy chick flick."

"Yeah? Which one?"

"Somewhere in Time."

"You mean the one with the guy…"

"…that has piercing blue eyes, dark wavy hair, amazing build and looks like he could play some world famous superhero?" Lois finished for him drolly. "Yeah. That would be the one."

Teasing knowledge slipped through his eyes. "Not to belabor the point but, the one that…"

"Yes, _Clark_…" Lois rolled her eyes and sighed. "…the one that reminds me of _you_."

His low chuckle filled the room. A pillow sailed through the air and hit him with pinpoint accuracy right between the eyes. Knowing he deserved that and a whole lot more, he let it fall to the floor without thought of retaliation.

"So, you brought a dog home?" Seizing on an earlier comment, Clark perked up.

"Nah." Lois shrugged and waved his excitement away. "It belonged to a kid down the street. I got a fine and a very stern lecture from the boy's seriously overly-reactive mother. Seems she thought I'd traumatized her son for life. Of course, she probably right. After all, what kid wouldn't be after being taunted with Lois Lane's version of 'Who Let the Dogs Out'."

Clark laughed aloud.

Lois beamed.

"And as if that weren't bad enough…" She sounded amazed, but the double meaning of her words were intended, and clear. Her brows furrowed. "…did you know my favorite drink the past few weeks has been coffee, black. No cream. No sugar?"

A slow, knowing smile made an appearance. "But you hate that."

"Apparently…" Lois pushed herself off the perch and discarded the book that started it all. She didn't need to cling to its pages anymore. Not when she had the real thing standing in front of her. Waiting for her. Loving her. "…I've acquired a taste too."

Eyes were shining with deepening emotion, she took a few deliberate steps forward. Stopping abruptly, she tucked her hands behind her back and tilted her head in an almost girlish gesture. She was open. Ready. "I think it's only fair to warn you…I'm not her. And I never will be."

Clark grinned. His eyes danced with anticipation. His chest rose and fell with a victorious sigh. And suddenly, all the broken pieces of his heart from all the years of rejection and fear and waiting, finally fell into place.

_Finally._

He pushed himself away from the desk and mirrored her actions. "And I think it's only fair to tell you, that's the best news I've heard all day. Well…" His gaze shifted as teasing lit his eyes. His head tilted in acknowledgement. "…second best."

"So…this…" A few more deliberate steps. She motioned with her hand. "…us…we'll be nothing you've ever experienced."

Clark did the same. His voice lilted hopefully. "Is that a promise?"

Another step. "Do you want it to be?"

"Yes, please." Another step followed.

"Promise." Lois whispered, then added an unnecessary warning, with an upraised eyebrow. "I'm not always the easiest person to deal with."

"I think I can handle it."

"And there are going to be times you're probably going to want to kill me."

"And that's different…how?"

Each banter brought them one step closer until they were standing only a breath away. His warm gaze roaming every beautiful inch of her face. His hands ached to touch her. His arms, to hold her.

Lois felt herself melting under his gaze. The scorching tightness in the center of her chest was quickly becoming an all too familiar burn. She shivered. And swallowed. And felt herself coming undone.

"Clark?" All teasing was abandoned. The vulnerability in her eyes rocked him to his core. The grin slipped from his face. Her next request was probably the most difficult she'd ever made. It was certainly the quietest. And the most broken. "Please…don't break my heart."

Eyes locked on hers, Clark took her face in his hand with deliberate slowness before leaning forward and brushing his lips against her forehead. A kiss of protection. Of gentle possession. Of confident devotion.

Connecting his forehead with hers, his fingers caressed her skin. The hint of smile skipped across his expression. "Love doesn't hurt, Lois. It heals. Protects. Trusts. You're the one that taught me that."

Another tear slipped down her cheek as Lois nodded her silent acceptance and bit her lower lip. When Clark caught her tear without hesitation, Lois Lane knew she'd placed her heart in good hands. Strong, loving hands. Her gaze dropped to his lips as her own spread into a smile.

She was finally there. On the solid shore. On the path to something beyond her wildest dreams.

Suddenly focused on her lips and a long overdue kiss, Clark was oblivious to swift change in her expression. The devilish mischief that flashed through her eyes. He _did_ make her suffer after all. With no word. For weeks. Perhaps a _little_ payback was in order…

Dodging his expertly aimed kiss and dancing out of his arms like a pro, Lois beamed up innocently at a suddenly very confused and slightly irritated Clark Kent. The shift happened so suddenly, he nearly lost his balance. "Wh-what…"

"_So_ very hungry, Smallville. I think we should head into town, hug Bella, bug Dom and…" Trying to bit back her complete and utter enjoyment at the look of incredulity on his face, Lois slowly backed away from him as if getting ready to leave. "…didn't you have a bet with Morris to win?"

The flutter of Clark's long lashes was like hummingbird's wings. "Yeah, but…"

"How's he doing with that, by the way?" Lois inquired as if that were her only care in the world. As if she was completely unaffected by the events of the past several minutes. Or the feel of his hands on her skin. His body so close to hers.

"Uh…" Clark was clearly still trying to get his bearings. "…beautiful flowers. Fresh. Every day now for a week."

"Great! I'll just get my bag and…"

His hand shot out and grabbed her arm just as she was about to sidestep him. Fighting the thrill that shot through at his touch, she turned to him with a somewhat passive expression.

His expression, not so much. Clark Kent had recovered quickly. And finally caught on. If she wanted to play…

"Tomorrow." He slowly pulled her toward him. "Lois Lane, you and I have some unfinished business."

She blinked innocently. "We do?"

"We do." His eyes sparkled with teasing adoration. His voice was steady and confident. Another side of Clark Kent emerged. His gaze roamed her face openly. His voice lilted flirtatiously. "In fact, as I recall…the last time we were in this barn together…we were rudely interrupted right in the middle of something pretty important."

"Riiiight." Lois nodded her head as her gaze shifted in sudden, prolonged concentration. "And as _I_ recall…we weren't really in the middle yet. The beginning, perhaps, but…"

A finger stilled her lips. Her gaze snapped up to meet his. "Middle. Beginning. It's still unfinished."

Suddenly, she didn't feel like playing any more. Brushing his hand away, she kept it firmly in her grasp. "Maybe we should do something about that."

"Maybe we should."

They came together like two magnets. Instinctively. Effortlessly. His arms were around her waist. Hers, slipped around his neck. The heat between them rose. The air grew thick with delicious tension. They slowly leaned in savoring every tantalizing second.

Lois' cell rang. And broke the spell. She flinched and pulled back, wincing as if suddenly remembering something. "Oh. Crap."

Concerned by her reaction, Clark's brows furrowed. "What is it?"

Digging her phone out of her pocket and gazing down at her display, Lois' expression faded in apology. "It's…Bruce. He needed an answer today." Seeing the confusion on Clark's face, she hastened to explain. "He offered me a job in Gotham City."

His brows shot up almost as high as his disbelieving voice. "And you _considered_ it?"

A scrunched face. A helpless shrug.

Clark sighed and held out his hand in a silent command. Without argument, Lois handed him the phone.

"Hello? Who is this?" Clark inquired after answering the phone.

Though Lois couldn't hear Bruce's response clearly, she got an idea from Clark's responses and his expression. She stood back and watched still another side of Clark emerge.

"I asked first." Clark responded smugly.

"Bruce Wayne." There was an uncertain pause. "Can I speak with Lois please?"

"I'm sorry, Lois is unavailable." Intense blue eyes snapped to hers. His possessive tone, the desire in his eyes, sent shivers down her spine. "In every conceivable way. For a _very_ long time to come."

"Who is this again?"

"Just the guy that has permission to answer her phone." Clark echoed an answer he'd heard…what seemed like a lifetime ago.

"Clark Kent." It didn't take Bruce Wayne long to put two and two together. "So, I guess I have my answer."

"I guess you do." His voice was as tight as his lips. Lois' upraised eyebrow softened his expression. "Bruce. Thanks for taking care of her for me." He sighed with resignation. "And uh…for pushing all the right buttons."

Lois bit back a grin.

"I didn't do it for you." Came Bruce's meaningful reply.

"I know." Clark answered just as meaningfully. "Thanks anyway." Clark clicked off the phone and tossed it to the couch.

"Well, I guess that funding source just went out the window." Lois grinned up at Clark, admiration dancing in her eyes.

Clark lost no time in putting Lois back where she belonged…in the center of his embrace. "_You_ are staying very, very far away from that man for a very, very long time."

"Yeah? Who says?" Lois challenged as she tilted her head to gaze up at him, her hands resting against his chest.

"I say."

"Oh, you think you have a right now, huh?"

"Absolutely." Borderline arrogant, Clark smirked at her. His gaze dropped back to her lips. The desire in his eyes was scorching. His voice was raspy with sudden need. "Now, where were we?"

"I think we were…" Suddenly breathless, Lois' voice shimmered with hunger. Her hazel eyes darkened with a craving that had been building for way too long. "…at the beginning?"

The heat between them rose. The air grew thick with delicious tension. They slowly leaned in savoring every tantalizing second.

"The beginning." Clark echoed, his own eyes mirroring hers. "Yeah. Yeah, that's sounds about right…"

Bodies molded together. Lips met. Hearts collided.

And something in the universe shifted.

Something fundamental snapped into place.

And it was there, at the sum all these, that a legend began.

The End


End file.
